James Herbert Asberry, III was sentenced on May 7 to 11 years and three months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger also ordered the forfeiture of $18,938 in proceeds from Asberry’s drug trafficking activities. Asberry pleaded guilty on July 17, 2024.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address the distribution of dangerous drugs in Jacksonville and surrounding areas.
According to court documents, Asberry sold fentanyl and methamphetamine during several meetings with a Drug Enforcement Administration undercover task force officer and a confidential source in late 2023 and early 2024. On February 23, the DEA arrested Asberry after executing search warrants at his St. Johns County home and a Jacksonville apartment used for storing drugs. Investigators recovered cash along with cocaine, fentanyl, and nearly two kilograms of methamphetamine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican prosecuted it, while Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko handled the forfeiture proceedings.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative that uses resources from the Department of Justice's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) programs.
